The Teddy Bear As A Psychotherapist

There can be no doubt at all of the importance to almost every child of teddy bears. Whether it is actually a bear, or some other creature, real or imaginary, every child needs some sort of private confidant that they know will always be there for him or here. They don't judge, they don't say 'no', they don't argue back and they love you just as you are. Every child knows that at the end of the day, when they go to bed, their teddy bear will be waiting for them, right there by their side, and that when he or she wakes in the morning, their teddy bear will be the first one to greet them.

We probably all have our own favourite teddy bears from our childhood, fondly remembered, and in many cases, secretly still tucked away somewhere in a dark corner. It seems that these inanimate creatures can form such a strong and important part of our childhood life that even as adults they can bring out the softer side. What is it about teddy bears and their related creature counterparts which makes them so popular, and so vital it would seem to a happy childhood?

Childhood is fraught with difficulties and troubles. So much happens to us as children because we are developing both physically and mentally that every day is a struggle, a challenge to be overcome, a lesson to be learned, and every day seems to change us as people. From an adult's point of view childhood seems idyllic, trouble free, with no stress and an easy life. The truth is that if we as adults experienced as many changes in our person as a child, we'd probably have nervous breakdowns. For a child, even a few weeks ago seems like a lifetime, not only because of the difference in relative time scales, but because a few weeks ago they were a different person. Just a few months can change how they are socially, physically, psychologically and emotionally, and these changes can make any child feel frustrated, anxious and confused.

No wonder, then, that children cling on to at least one thing which stays the same. Even parents change. As our children grow older we change in our attitudes towards them. Of course, we still love them, but we tale more and more of a back seat, give them more and more credit for becoming individuals and independent, and give them more space to explore themselves. Children, on the other hand, can see this as adults becoming less foolproof, more prone to being unreliable, uncontrollable and changeable. Again, it's easy to see why an immutable, unchanging, predictable, unselfish and non-judgemental character such as a teddy bear gives the child a fixed point in their life, a place to bury their face in times of frustration or upset, and a friendly face to tell happy stories to, dreams to tell, and wishes to share.

Here's to the humble teddy bear - a far cry from our psychotherapists!